Thermoforming provides a rapid, efficient, and inexpensive method to make complicated parts from thermoplastics. However, the mechanical properties of thermoplastic polymers makes them unsuitable for more demanding applications, such as in the automotive and aerospace industries. These industries use heavier and more expensive materials like steel and aluminum for their stamping and forming processes. Thermoplastics are lighter and more efficient and would be good replacements for these materials, if not for their poor mechanical performance.
Adding reinforcement would improve the mechanical performance of thermoplastics. Currently, no acceptable method exists to introduce reinforcement in a manner that controls the orientation and alignment into a thermoplastic sheet that can then undergo thermoforming. In addition to the mechanical performance requirements, thermoforming of the thermoplastics needs to fit into the existing manufacturing processes to ensure that speed and efficiencies are maintained. Any materials introduced into those processes must have comparable flexibility, machinability and manufacturability, and good joining characteristics with other materials and thermoformed parts.